Sitting Indian Style

I recently attended a yoga class at the gym on campus with my friend Buffy. I had done yoga in the past and have paid for DVDs that I have yet to crack open, but I had never been to a class in Shanghai. Since I'm not the avid yoga-er, I forgot my non-existent yoga mat at home. Luckily, some mats were provided, though the mats were all connected into one big mat at the back of the dance studio. I was actually quite thankful I was forced to bend and stretch in the back of the room... the Chinese naturally stare at me enough. However, since the wall we were facing happened to be a giant mirror, it was hard to escape their blatant glances. Needless to say, I was trying something new.

Buffy and I were the only two white faces out of 30 that joined the class that afternoon. For the first twenty minutes, as other women were still entering in, we ourselves were entering in to a state of relaxation. The Chinese women see this time as meditation for religious purposes. The first few minutes were pretty neat -- the Chinese instrumental relaxation music, the quiet... but then by the fourth minute, I opened my eyes and looked at Buffy. This is boring, I mouthed. She nodded in agreement. Little did I know it would continue for another 16 minutes. I'm not sure if it was my American way of wanting things to move a little quicker, or if it was just my natural ability to become easily distracted that caused me to realize how much I am in need of a pedicure. My toes are disgusting. I began to find other impurities, moving up to my legs, thinking, I need to shave. I haven't shaved in weeks. Buffy and I began to have an almost silent conversation about how it's been winter and it's too expensive for the good razors, so why waste your money when no one sees your legs anyways?

The next 16 minutes were spent mentally outside of that room for the two of us, our miming ranging from vanity to school assignments. I thought at one point I'd surely fall asleep... why not when my legs had already done so... I enjoyed the rest of the class, laughing at myself, and others to be quite honest, in these ridiculous positions. Since we don't speak Chinese, we had to look to the other women around us to see what to do, some of the time looking at them while our heads were upside down.

Later on that night, I was struck with some thoughts. This yoga class was in no way religious for me whatsoever though it might have appeared that way by my outward posture; I have no desire to follow the teachings of Buddha or Confucius. I began thinking of all the times I've brought a non-Chrstian friend with me to service in the States. I sit beside them, meditating and prying, singing songs that I just know will incline their hearts to grasp on to Life. I am suddenly discouraged when they leave unchanged. I now know that though their head might have been bowed, their heart was not. They looked to the others to see how to respond since they couldn't understand the language that was being spoken. They too might have been thinking of how much they were in need of a pedicure, or how they couldn't believe they walked out the door wearing a skirt and forgot to shave their legs.

Evangelism takes time. It takes patience. I always figured the lost friends who attended with me didn't understand much, but now I have a small picture of how far away their hearts really are. Thankfully, His word does not fall on deaf ears. Thankfully, His Spirit has the power to move and convict the hardened hearts. Buddha doesn't have that power. And neither does Confucius. It is imperative that I not lag in my efforts of reaching people, whether abroad or in the States. Their lives depend on it. They are spiritually contemplating things that have no significance, searching for something to fill their time, sleeping, and laughing at one's who believe, just like Buffy and me in that yoga class.

I love shifts in perspective. My eyes are so dry from all the wool that has been pulled over them, culturally speaking.

p.s. - I shaved my legs today.